81% Tempranillo, 19% Garnacha

Food pairings: Slow-roasted lamb, ribeye steak, chorizo stews, mushroom risotto and mature Manchego.

Winemaking: The grapes were picked by hand between September 20 and October 6, 2022, fermented in stainless-steel and concrete vats, and aged 15 months in French and American oak barrels. 2022 began with a cold spring that delayed budbreak by 10 to 15 days, followed by an early heat wave during flowering and a summer of long, successive heat waves; rainfall from April to October was 60% below average. The heat and drought brought concentration and lower natural acidity, an effect softened at Finca La Emperatriz by the estate's location, and harvest started earlier than usual.

Vineyards and terroir: The fruit comes from Finca La Emperatriz in Baños de Rioja, Rioja Alta, at 570 metres. The trellised vines average 25 years of age and grow in a layer of large white pebbles about 40 cm deep over a loose, sandy subsoil that drains extremely well.

Family and history: The estate is named for Empress Eugenia de Montijo, who once owned it; its wine won an award at the 1878 Paris Universal Exposition. The Hernaiz family bought Finca La Emperatriz in 1996, and brothers Eduardo and Víctor Hernaiz have led it since 2000. The current label, with a cameo of the Empress, was introduced with the 2021 vintage.

In the pictures: Víctor and Eduardo Hernaiz in the vineyard; Finca La Emperatriz and its vineyards at dusk; and harvest at Finca La Emperatriz. Photographs courtesy of Hermanos Hernaiz.